The flight targeted by ISIS jihadis has been identified as an Abu Dhabi bound flight out of Sydney (file photo)

The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with a capacity for up to 412 people, was scheduled to depart at 3.20pm AEST, but left nine minutes early, according to Daily Mail Australia.

The device successfully reached the Aussie jihadis and was successfully put together before the attempt to get it aboard an Ethiad flight.

A major terror attack on the plane may only have been avoided because the suitcase the bomb had been stashed in proved to be to heavy and was abandoned at check in, according to Australian cops.

Police described plans to bring down an Etihad flight with an improvised explosive device, and to use another device that dispersed toxic gas in a separate attack, as “one of the most sophisticated plots ever detected in Australia”.

Khaled Khayat was arrested during raids last weekend after the plot was foiled

In preparing for the first planned attack, the men managed to smuggle military grade explosives into Australia, police said.

Elements of an improvised explosive device (IED) were sent by ISIS operatives in a single package through international air cargo to the accused men, who police claim used the “ISIL commander’s” instructions to assemble the IED, Mr Phelan said.

Raids were made across Sydney after the attack was foiled after the bag containing the bomb proved to heavy at check in

Mr Phelan said the man who was to be carrying the bag containing the IED boarded the flight and remains overseas, but the bag with the “fully functioning” device was never checked in.

“There is a little bit of conjecture as to why it didn’t go ahead on the 15th. We certainly would be alleging that it didn’t get passed the pulling on the bags, it didn’t get passed the check-in,” he said.

Police said a second attack was planned using an improvised chemical device designed to release “a highly toxic hydrogen sulphide”.

The materials for the device were allegedly smuggled into the country disguised as a mincing machine

Mr Phelan said the device, which was very difficult to make, was “fairly well advanced, but not enough to be a fully initiated device”.

Mr Phelan said joint counter terror officers “completely disrupted” both plots and there was “absolutely no ongoing threat”.

“Not only have we stopped the IED that was believed to go on the plane but we have also completely disrupted the intended chemical dispersion device and we believe we have got all of the necessary components of that device as well,” he said.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.'